Made With Love
by SoulFire1111
Summary: Hinata brings Naruto a special lunchtime gift. One Shot. Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata and Umino Iruka belong to Kishimoto and I can only hope to do them the justice they deserve!


MADE WITH LOVE

"That's the way to do it! Great moves, y'know!"

Hinata Uzumaki smiled upon hearing her husband's unique voice rise above the excited chatter of children. Naruto loved assignments at the Academy, interacting with the eager students and basking in their admiration. It was sweet justice, Hinata thought, that here where he had once suffered the pangs of rejection he was now a revered guest. She rounded the corner of the building and paused in its shadow to watch as the lanky blond she so loved praised the boys in the sparing circle and offered advice on their techniques.

"That was one Helluva powerful kick," Naruto told the beaming winner before rapidly turning his attention to the defeated youth who was picking himself up from the ground, "and _you_ just remember to be fast with that forearm when you see that kind of move coming—if you're quick enough you can turn the tables on the other guy."

The boy trotted up to him, brushing off the dust of defeat. "You think so, Naruto Sempai?"

Bandaged fingers tousled the youngster's dark hair. "I _know_ so," Naruto said with a wink and a grin.

"Don't forget the Sign of Reconciliation!" The warning came from teacher Iruka Umino, standing at Naruto's side.

Naruto's grin widened, remembering the days when Iruka served as his own Sensei. He had tried his teacher's patience on a daily basis and yet Iruka eventually became the closest to what he had known as a father.

As the startled student scrambled back to comply, interlocking his first two fingers with those of his opponent, the staccato ring of the school bell demanded attention. "All right, that's enough for now." Iruka shouted above the increasing schoolyard din."Time to break for lunch."

The noise level grew as the students broke rank, some heading straight for the classroom while others mobbed their visiting instructor for the chance of receiving further individual instruction.

"Show some respect!" Iruka barked, clearly put out with the undisciplined assault on their guest.

"That's okay, Iruka Sensei." Naruto flashed his smile over the surrounding crowd of eager youngsters. "They're no bother, really." He turned back to the bobbing heads around him. "Maybe after we eat we can talk your Sensei into having a Q and A session about battle strategy, eh?"

The cheering children allowed Iruka to herd them inside. As Naruto turned to follow he spied Hinata in the building's shadow and turned to wave the teacher on. "I'll get back with you after lunch, okay?"

With the schoolyard cleared, his attentions returned to his wife. "Hey, Hinata," he called, sprinting to her side, "what'cha doing here? I thought you were getting together with Sakura chan today."

She gave a little shrug and cocked her head to look up at him, her long dark hair sweeping to one side.

"Sakura san was having a busy day at the hospital, so our meeting was cut short," she explained, "and I could think of nothing better than to have lunch with you instead."

She presented him with a plain white sack emblazoned with the Uzumaki seal, and he seized it eagerly.

"Yeah? Great!" His blue eyes lit with boyish delight as he peeked into the bag to discover a large wicker bento box. Hinata was an excellent cook and the prospect of this unexpected midday treat whetted his already enormous appetite. He snatched up her hand and lead her toward a well shaded bench beside the practice arena. "Come on—I'm starving and Iruka Sensei's lunch breaks were always way too short!"

Hinata chuckled softly. "Yes, I remember." Her thoughts returned to their long ago days at the Academy as she joined him on the bench. "You would often disappear to spend lunch time on the old swing out front."

"Better than sitting around watching everyone else eat, y'know." he said with a shrug, long over those dark days when cold cereal in the morning and cup ramen at night were his main sustenance. He tucked the bento box in between them and nudged his wife with his elbow. "Though I got pretty good at conning kids out of something from their lunch—I even took Shikamaru once!"

"I remember that as well." Hinata smiled across at him, "Naruto kun was always a clever boy."

"Still am!" he proclaimed with a wink before turning his attention back to the lunch box. "Kids have it easier these days, what with the Academy providing lunch for everyone-" His eyes brightened as he lifted the lid on neat rows of rice cakes, meatballs, boiled eggs and fruit. "-but they never have it _this_ good! Hinata, you've outdone yourself!"

"Konoha's future Hokage deserves no less than the best," she responded, pleased with his reaction, "and I knew you would work up an appetite interacting with the children."

"I always have a good appetite!" he proclaimed, popping a perfectly round meatball into his mouth. He nodded in appreciation, "Mmmm, spicy!"

Hinata helped herself to a rice cake. "I was watching you with the students. They appear to be quite taken with their special teacher."

"Yeah, they're a great bunch of kids." he nodded and gulped down the meatball. "Heck, this assignment could hardly be called work: It's too much fun!"

"You do have a way with children." she noted as she nibbled at the rice cake. "They always seem drawn to you."

"Maybe it's 'cause I'm just a big kid, myself," he casually speculated while picking through the bento's offerings, "but you-" He waved a boiled egg in her direction on its way to his mouth."-you're a real natural with children. Kurenai's little girl sure loves her 'Auntie Hina'."

Hinata shifted on the bench as the conversation turned her way. "Well, we _are_ family in a way..." she murmured, brushing her hair back from her face.

"Guess that's kinda how I feel about the kids here." he declared skillfully through a mouthful of egg. "We're all connected when it comes right down to it, y'know. This whole village is my family."

Hinata plucked a strawberry from the lunch box and raised it to her lips. "And that's why you will be a great Hokage." she said with a certainty that prompted one of his patented Uzumaki grins.

They quickly dispatched the remainder of the lunch, uncovering a small, cellophane wrapped box neatly packed in one corner. "What's this?" Naruto wondered as he dug it out of the bento. He cast a questioning eye in her direction as he freed the box from it's packaging, but she gave him nothing but a secretive little smile and lowered her silvery lavender eyes.

Her favorite treat popped into his head. "A special dessert—a cinnamon bun, maybe?"

"Goodness, no!" Her amused giggle shot that idea down. "We just had strawberries! But it is very sweet—and very special."

"A surprise, huh?" he asked, studying the small box as though it were a great puzzle. "Guess I'll just have to see for myself." His tongue wedged firmly in the corner of his mouth as he tipped back the lid to peek inside. What greeted his eyes was something fuzzy and green and definitely _not_ a cinnamon bun—or anything edible for that matter. He flipped the box lid away and pulled the mystery contents into sight.

"...Socks...?" His face scrunched in puzzlement as he dangled the tiny footwear between thumb and forefinger before his nose. "Uh—Hinata, if you made these for me they're way too small."

Her giggle transformed into soft laughter. "No, no, Naruto kun! I didn't make them for you...and they are _not_ socks!"

"Well, then... _what._.." he began. His bottom lip jutted forward in confusion as he tried to make sense of it all.

She took pity on his lost expression."Booties." she said softly, feeling a blush rise on her cheeks.

"Booties..." he repeated as he processed the word, "...but...booties are for babies...why did you put them..." He dropped the items in question back into the lunch box as the answer dawned and spun to face her, "Hinata—are you—we—baby-?!"

She barely had time to nod before he sprang up with a whoop and swept her into the air. Her startled 'eep' reminded him of her new condition and he hastily lowered her to the ground, his blue eyes wide with concern. He chuckled nervously as he ran bandaged fingers through his unruly hair, "Sorry!"

"Don't worry, Naruto kun," she soothed, squeezing his free hand, "I won't break."

He lowered a doubtful eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Positive." She brushed a palm over her middle. "I'm in perfect health, and Sakura san says that our baby has a strong heartbeat."

"Our baby." Naruto grinned stupidly for a moment. "Gosh. So that's why you met with Sakura chan today." A new thought suddenly came to him. "Did she tell you whether it's a boy or a girl?"

"No, silly! It's far too soon. Besides, I should be able to tell, myself, by that time: One of the advantages of the Byakugan."

He looked down at her stomach, covering her hand with his own. "Well, we can't just go on calling it an 'it', y'know."

"Why don't we say 'he' until we know for certain." Hinata suggested. "I'm sure our baby won't mind."

"Our baby." Naruto repeated, still a bit overwhelmed by the revelation. He smiled down at her. "Wonder what he'll be like—I hope he's kind and smart like his mom-"

"And clever and strong like his father." she added, returning his adoring gaze.

"Father." He shook his head, his voice hushed with the enormity of it all. " Wow. I'm gonna be a father."

The sharp peal of the school bell broke his reverie and Naruto turned to wave at Iruka and the Academy students pouring out into the building, suddenly wanting to tell the world the news.

"Hey everybody!" he shouted across the schoolyard, "Guess what! I'm gonna be a _father,_ y'know!"


End file.
